System for dispensing a liquefied gas



Sept. 14, 1948. o. A. HANSEN SYSTEM FOR DISPENSING A LIQUEFIED GAS Filed July 25, 1941 INVENTOR @vld 4 ATTORNEYS ene a Se t. 14, 194s- UNITED SYSTEM FOR DISPENSING A LIQUEFIED GAS Odd A. Hansen, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor to The Linde Air Products Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Ohio Application July 25, 1941, Serial No. 403,935

9 Claims. (CI. 62-4 This invention relates to a system for dispensing and/or delivering a liquefied gas, and particularly to a portable system for delivering a liquefied gas which has a boiling point temperature at atmospheric pressure materially below 273 K., such as liquid oxygen.

The invention has for its object generally an improved construction and arrangement of parts whereby the liquefied gas may be simply and quickly transferred by pumping from a portable container to a liquid phase receiver.

More particularly, the invention has for its object an improved arrangement of a container on a transport vehicle, together with a pumping device for transferring liquid oxygen and the like from the portable container to a receiving container at a consuming installation, which latter container may be under pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a liquid oxygen dispensing system which provides a source of supply and employs but a single pumping device to effect delivery of the liquid oxygen and is of a character such that the whole system including the pumping device may be mounted on a truck or other suitable vehicle, whereby deliveries of the liquid oxygen may be made directly to a liquid receiving container at a consuming installation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a system of the character indicated with a connection of a character such that the liquid to be pumped which would otherwise be delivered to the pump in a nearly boiling state may be quickly and effectually subcooled and readily pumped directly into a liquid receiving container while the latter is under pressure and in service.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing a system for transferring liquid oxygen from a portable container to a receiving container in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, the plane of section being indicated by the line 22 on Fig. 1, showing details of a turbine type pumping device which may be used in the combination shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, In denotes a wheeled chassis of a motor vehicle powered by suitable means, such as an internal combustion motor. Such chassis here supports a transport container, shown as comprising a casing H and a liquid holding vessel l2, the casing being spaced from the vessel l2, in order to provide a suitable space 13 for insulating purposes, for example, one which may be filled with powdered insulating material, such as magnesium carbonate. Th transport container is also shown provided with a closable vent l4.

Associated with the transport container is a suitable mechanical liquid transferring means or pumping device, such as a turbine pump 15, which may have one or more stages, depending on the kind of service it is required to give. Such pump is preferably of the character disclosed in copending application, Serial No. 345,308, filed July 13, 1940 in the name of O. A. Hansen, which issued February 1, 1944, as Patent No. 2,340,747, and is provided with suitable driving means, for example, with an electric motor, shown at M in Fig. 2. The power for such motor is had from any convenient source, for example, from a power line run from an outlet or plug-in receptacle at the consuming installation. It is also contemplated using a power take-oi! on the torque shaft of the motor vehicle as the source of driving power, as set forth in copending application, Serial No. 369,023, filed December 7, 1940, in the name of O. A. Hansen, which issued November 28, 1944, as Patent No, 2,363,960.

The pump l5 has a liquid supply connection l8 connected to withdraw liquid from a point substantially at the bottom of the vessel 12 and convey it to the inlet of pump IS. A connection I9 is also provided and arranged to convey away the discharge from the outlet of the pump; a flexible portion l8 being attached by means of a suitable coupling. Connections Ill-13 are arranged, when at a consuming installation, to be connected to a liquid inlet connection IQ of a suitable liquid receiving or storage container, here shown as comprising a pressure vessel 20 in a casing 22. which is disposed in spaced relation to the pressure vessel for insulating purposes.

The connection l9 has a valve 19 for controlling the passage of liquid phase. There is preferably included a valve controlled gas phase branch l9 whereby gas phase may be withdrawn and equal- L. I. Dana on March 6, 1934.

3. ization eflected between the containers l2 and 26 by way of connections l6, l6, and I3, as hereinafter explained. Vessel l2 preferably has no basket but in order that its wall may withstand equalization pressures, it is made relatively thick, so as to have the desired strength.

The liquid receiving or storage container is part of a system arranged'to supply the consuming apparatus with gaseous or vaporized liquid oxygen under a desired pressure. The pressure vessel 26 here employed preferably has a spaced inner basket 2i for holding the liquid, and reducing the amount of heat otherwise transferred thereto by conduction. The wall of vessel 26 is made sufliciently thick to withstand the operating pressure, for example, a pressure of 150 lbs. per square inch gauge. The vessel 20 is connected to discharge into suitable heating and liquid vaporizing devices which are operatively associated therewith, the arrangement comprising a socalled "cold converter system." Such connections are shown as comprising a gasphase withdrawal connection 24 leading from the gas space of the vessel 26 and discharging into a heating coil 25 from which the heated gas passes to a consuming device. Connection 2| is preferably valve controlled, and is shown with such at 24. A liquid phase withdrawal connection 26 is also provided, which leads from a point relatively close to the bottom of the liquid holding vessel and discharges into a heating coil 21. The discharge from the coil 21 is led through a reentrant connection 28 which traverses a liquid column or side conduit 29 that is adiacent vessel 26; an automatic flow controller, such as the regulator shown at 23, being preferably introduced in connection 26 at a suitable point. The conduit 28 is connected to the interior of vessel 26, or more exactly to that of the basket 2|, at its ends at points both above and below the normal liquid level in the manner taught in United States Letters Patent No. 1,950,353, issued in the name of The liquid in the column becomes heated and serves to accelerate the withdrawal of liquid from the container and to hasten the vaporization of oxygen in the cold converter system. The connection 28 leads out again to the exterior, of the container to a place of use and preferably includes another heating coil 36.

Suitable heating media are supplied for heating the coils 26, 21, and 36, the three comprising the heating means here associated with the recelving container and denoted generally at H.

To achieve priming oi the pump l6, s. connection 3| having a valve 32 is provided and arranged to lead from the outlet of the pump to the gas space of the vessel l2.

The system of the present invention is preferably arranged to eflect the ready transfer of liquid phase from the vessel 12 to the vessel 26 without blowdown losses. To this end, a gas phase transfer connection is additionally provided for the vessels. The arrangement preferably employed comprises a connection 36 leading from the gas space of the vessel 26 to that-of vessel l2; such connection having a valve 36 therein and terminated by a coupling to which a second flexible connection 36' may be attached for coupling to an extension 3| of the connection 3|. Extension 3| is provided with a valve 31 and termiisaasga transferof liquid phase from the transport con-' tainer to a consuming installation, i. e., from vessels I2 to 26 in the system illustrated, the apparatus provided enables the transfer to be effected by any one of three possible methods, as follows:

Method I. When the transport container has reached the; consuming installation and service connections established, as indicated in the drawing, the step of equalizing pressures between containers I2 and 20 is practiced by opening valves 36 and 31; the valve at I4 being closed. In this operation the pressure in vessel l2 may rise sufilciently to change adiabatically the condition from vessel 12 to vessel 20 then follows; the pressure in vessel 26 gradually building up the while.

When a desired quantity of liquid has beentransferred, the valves I6 and i9 are closed and the v transport container disconnected. This method nates in a coupling adapted for the attach-mentor is seen to impose a gradually increasing amount of work on the pump i5 when transferring liquid.

In this method, it is seen that an equalization of pressure maybe preliminarily efiected without opening valves 36 and 31. The valve in branch I9 is opened instead; also the valve I6 is opened. The gas phase from vessel 26 is seen then to pass into vessel l2 by way of connection It, a portion of the gas phase thus transferred being liquefied in the liquid phase in vessel l2.

Method IL-This is an alternative procedure that may be practiced when service connections have been established, as indicated in the drawing. The first step is that of equalization which is effected by opening valves 36 and 31. when equalization has been accomplished, the step of pump priming is practiced without closing valves 36 and 31. When liquid begin to pass, the valve is? is opened, the valve 32 being closed at the same time so that the step of transferring liquid takes place. Valves 36 and 31 are continued open while the transfer of liquid continues. In this second method, there is substantially no concurrent increase in the work of the pump, as takes lace in the first method. Instead. there is continuous equalization of the pressures .in vessels l2 and 26.

It is also seen that where the step of equalization has been practiced by effecting the gas phase transfer, the pressure in the vessel [2 may rise sufficiently, similarly as noted in connection with Method 1, to result in a substantial degree of subcooling. As a result, the pump it has a greater capacity and liquid transfer from the vessel l2 to the vessel 26 is effected in a relatively short space of time.

A variation in Method II having distinct advantages comprises an operation in which the initial equalization of pressures is effected through conduit I9 by opening the valve therein, and then after pump priming has been effected and the liquidbegins to pass and line i6 closed 011, maintaining equilibrium between vessels i2 and 20 through opening valves 36 and 31. The required head of the pump is low and by effecting equalization by passing gas from vessel 26 aeeaave through the liquid phase, of vessel II the anal pressure inthe latter is kept relatively low.

' Method [IL-By this method, .the step 'of equalization is omitted and the gas phase transfer connection by way of the conduits 85,. I and SI is not established. Here the first step is that a cold converter and need not be stopped whileliquid is being transferred, as the pump i here 6 I of establishing both gas andliquid phase transfer connections between the gas and liquid holding spaces of said containers, equalizing the preshas capacity to operate against a substantial head of pressure.-

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter containedin the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1 In a system for dispensing a liquefied gas having a boiling point temperature at atmospheric pressure materially below 273 K., the combination with a supply container having a space for holding gas and liquid therein and closable to the atmosphere, of consuming apparatus provided with a liquid receiving container having a space for holding gas and liquid therein and normally under pressure, valved means for establishing both gas and liquid phase transfer connections between the gas and liquid holding portions of said spaces in said containers, a rotary type pump in said liquid phase transfer connections, priming means for said rotary type pump leading to the gas space of said supply container, and means for establishing an additional transfer passage between the gas holding space of said receiving container and the liquid holding space of said supply container.

2. In a system for dispensing liquid oxygen and the like. the combination with a transport container having a space for holding gas and liquid therein and closable to the atmosphere, of consuming apparatus provided with a liquid receiving container having a space for holding gas and liquid therein and normally under pressure, valved means for establishing both gas and liquid phase transfer connections between the gas and liquid holding portions of said spaces in said containers, a turbine type liquid oxygen pump in said liquid phase transfer connections, priming means comprising a conduit leading from the outlet of said pump to the gas space of said transport container, and a valved branch on said liquid receiving container for establishing an additional gas phase transfer passage between the gas holding space of said receiving container and the liquid holding space of said supply container.

3. A method of delivering liquid oxygen and the like from a supply container adapted to be closed to the atmosphere and provided with a liquid transfer pump into a liquid receiving container of a cold converter system normally under pressures in said containers, closing the gasphase transfer connections, priming" the pump, and

transferring liquid to the receiving container against the rising head of pressure therein.

49A method of delivering liquid oxygen and the like from a supply container adapted to be closed to the atmosphere and provided with a liquid transfer'pump into a liquid receiving container of a cold converter system normally under pressure, which comprisesthe steps, in combination, of establishing both gas and liquid phase transfer connections between the gas and liquid holding spaces of said containers, equalizing the pressures in said containers, said equalizing including passing at least a portion of the gas pipe phase through the liquid phase in said supply container, priming thepump, and thereafter transferring liquid to the receiving container.

5. In a method of dispensing liquid oxygen by pumping from a transport container closable to the atmosphere to a liquid receiving ccntainerin a cold converter system,-the steps, "in combination, of establishing both gas and liquid transfer connections between the gas and liquid holding spaces in said containers when said transport container is closed to the atmosphere, equalizing the pressures on the liquid in said containers whereby the pressure on the liquid in said transport container may be substantially adiabatically increased and the liquid to be supplied to the liquid transfer pump in the liquid phase transfer connections effectually subcooled, priming the liquid transfer pump, and thereafter transferring liquid from said transport container to said receiving container while maintaining communication of said receiving container with the service withdrawal lines of said converter system to provide thereby an auxiliary gas space to supplement the reduced gas space of said receiving container resulting from the filling operation.

6. A method of delivering liquid oxygen and the like from a supply container adapted to be closed to the atmosphere into a liquid receiving container normally under pressure, which comprises the steps, in combination; of equalizing the pressures in the two containers by passing gas from said receiving container through the liquid phase in said supply container, and thereafter transferring liquid to the said receiving container while maintaining said containers independent of each other as to pressure.

7. A method of delivering liquid oxygen and the like by means of a power pump from a supply container into a liquid receivin container normally under pressure and open to a service dispensing pipeline, which comprises the steps of priming the pump by directing initially the discharge therefrom to the supply container, and thereafter transferring liquid by said. pump to the receiving container while maintaining said two containers independent of each other as to pressure, said liquid being delivered to said container at! a pressure as determined by that .in said pipe- 8. A method of dispensing from a supply container a liquefied gas having a boiling point temperature at atmospheric pressure below 233 K., comprising pumping the liquid therefrom to a receiving container-while maintaining said containers independent of each other as to pressure, and withdrawing gas material from said receivin sure, which comprises the steps, in combination. to container and pmsing it through a heating coil as required for use, said operations of pumping and withdrawal being performed in part at least simultaneously and the delivery pressure of said pump being determined bythat in the withdrawal line.

9. A method ofdispensingi'rom a supply cone tainer a liquefied gas having a boiling point temperature at atmospheric pressure below 233 K.,

comprising pumping the liquid thereiromto a receiving container while maintaining said containers independent of each other as to pressure, 7 and withdrawing gas material from said receiving container through vaporizing and heating means as required for use. said receiver being open to a the withdrawal system during said pumping operations and affording a gas capacity to compensate for the introduction of the liquid to said receiver, the delivery prerure of said pump being determined by that in said system.

ODD A. HANSEN. go

8 REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date.

814,883 I Starr Mar. 13, 1906 1,930,731 Thompson Oct. 17, 1933 2,049,239 Wilcox July 28, 1936 2,180,231 Geertz et al Nov. 14, 1939 2,234,407 Hoagland Mar. 11, 1941 2,276,824 Carruthers Mar. 17, 1942 2,291,678 Benz et a1 Aug. 4, 1942 2,292,375 Hansen Aug. 11, 1942 2,368,215 Hansen Jan. 30, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain Aug. 5, 193a 

